Carly Kiesow has been in gymnastics since she was 2 ½ years old in her hometown in Forest Lake, Minnesota. Now, 20 years later she’s a senior gymnast on the UW-La Crosse Gymnastics team. You can bet she has a lot to say about her time as a gymnast…
K: What events do you specialize in? Which one is your favorite?
C: Bars and Floor. And my favorite is bars because the skills are so fun to do!
K: Tell me about your experience on the UW-L Gymnastics team. How have you grown, what is your relationship with your teammates, etc?
C: Being on the UW-L gymnastics team has been the best experience of my life. I have the greatest teammates, coaches and supporters that make being on the team such a positive experience! I have gained so many life skills from gymnastics and especially in these past three years on the team. Some life skills are time management, respect for other team members and teams (we don’t all get to compete every meet, so we respect the coaches decisions), responsibility (showing up to practice, lifting, volunteering, and coaching), and perseverance (keep trying to gain a skill or perfect a skill).
K: When does your season start and end?
C: Season officially starts on January 8th and goes through March 19th. We have a intersquad meet which is at Winona on December 3rd.
K: What goals do you have as a gymnast and as a team?
C: Our biggest team goal is to win Nationals. We also have other important goals such as gaining a better team GPA (last year we ranked 4th highest GPA in all D1, D2, and D3 gymnastics programs).
K: What is your favorite part about Gymnastics?
C: My favorite part is when we have competitions, because the atmosphere is so positive and encouraging. It is a time to show how hard we have been working and improving on our skills. The feeling of hitting a routine and knowing you did your best to help the team is such a great feeling.
K: Do you get nervous competing?
C: Every meet! The nerves are always there, but the feeling of excitement is also always with the nerves.
K: Who is your biggest supporter?
C: My parents are my biggest supporters. They come to every meet, buy their own gymnastics apparel, and bring snacks and drinks for everyone during meets.
K: Are you involved with anything else outside of Gymnastics?
C: I work outside of gymnastics. I work on campus as a teacher assistant at the Campus Child Care Center. On campus, I work for the Junior Eagles Gymnastics Program as a team coach. I also work at the YMCA coaching gymnastics, and I babysit for families around the area.
K: Where do you see yourself in a couple of years? What are your plans after graduation?
C: In a few years I hope to be teaching in an elementary school. I would love to teacher first grade students.
K: Do you have any plans to continue with Gymnastics?
C: I plan on still being a gymnastics coach and continuing that for as long as I can.
K: Are you ready to be done with Gymnastics or will you be sad to leave it behind?
C: It will definitely be a bittersweet moment when this year is over, but knowing that I have completed all four years of college gymnastics is truly my biggest accomplishment and that will help me when I am done competing. I know I will be ready to start my career after gymnastics and college.
Carly is majoring in Early Childhood to Middle Childhood Education and will be graduating in the Spring of 2017. We wish you the best of luck, Carly, and a successful season!